German photographer Jens Cullmann's image of a mud-covered crocodile lurking just below the surface captured in Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park took the top honours at the 2022 World Nature Photography Awards (WNPAs).
Crocodile in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
© Jens Cullmann/World Nature Photography Awards
The shot was chosen out of thousands of entries from 45 different countries across 6 continents.
"I had to be very careful not to disturb the crocodile, even though it was buried in dry mud," Cullmann explained in a press release. "They will launch themselves with tremendous speed and power at any animal foolish enough to come too close.” The result of Cullmann's efforts is a striking image that provides a unique perspective on these ancient predators.
The World Nature Photography Awards strives to influence positive change for wild species and spaces through powerful imagery that encourages us to question our relationship with the natural world.
"We congratulate all our winners and offer our deepest thanks for capturing such spectacular images of our precious planet," said Adrian Dinsdale, cofounder of the WNPAs. "Once again, we hope it provides great motivation to us all to do everything we can to protect the Earth for future generations."
Snow leopard, Indian Himalayas
© Sascha Fonseca/World Nature Photography Awards
Leopard, Kenya
© Thomas Vijayan/World Nature Photography Awards
Japanese stream toad, Owase Mountains, Mie, Japan
© Norihiro Ikuma/World Nature Photography Awards
Male hooded merganser, Huntley Meadows Park, Alexandria, VA, USA
© Charles Schmidt/World Nature Photography Awards
Red-billed oxpecker, Zimanga, South Africa
© Tamas Aranyossy/World Nature Photography Awards
Red crab (Grapsus adscensionis) La Gomera Island, Spain
© Javier Herranz Casellas/World Nature Photography Awards
Japanese macaques, Awaji Island, Japan
© Hidetoshi Ogata/World Nature Photography Awards
Lesser Antillean iguana, Grenada Island, West Indies
© Alain Ernoult/World Nature Photography Awards
Wildebeest Mara river crossing, Kenya
© Artur Stankiewicz/World Nature Photography Awards
Seaweed blenny, Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach, Florida, USA
© Andre Johnson/World Nature Photography Awards
Flamingos, Lake Magadi, Kenya
© Silke Hullmann/World Nature Photography Awards
Australian fur seal Port Kembla, NSW, Australia
© Nicolas Remy/World Nature Photography Awards
Inside a glacier, Solheimajokull, South Iceland
© Virgil Reglioni/World Nature Photography Awards
Seal, Island of Dune, near Helgoland, Germany
© Alex Pansier/World Nature Photography Awards
Grand Teton Peak, Wyoming, USA
© Jake Mosher/World Nature Photography Awards
Eucalyptus, Mount Barker, Western Australia
© Julie Kenny/World Nature Photography Awards
Crepidotus fungus, Windsor Nature Park, Singapore
© Mr. Endy./World Nature Photography Awards
Harlequin shrimps Hymanocera, Lembeh strait, Indonesia
© Adriano Morettin/World Nature Photography Awards
Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
© Vladislav Tasev/World Nature Photography Awards
Buffy Fish Owl (Ketupa Ketupu), Singapore
© Partha Roy/World Nature Photography Awards
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